Louis Emerick, who played Benidorm’s Norman the Doorman for two years between 2014 and 2016, was also touched by the news and remembered how the star offered him words of “reassurance” when he was struggling with nerves ahead of an audition in Sheffield in 1986.

He posted: “I never forgot that moment! Lovely to have met him 30yrs later @BenidormTVshow Rip.”

Ah man!just heard about #BobbyKnutt deceased!At an audition in Sheffield 1986,I was very nervous,Bobby took time to say words of reassurance